Do You like Your Home Improvement Contractor?
Anyone who hires a home improvement contractor wants to know that the company they are hiring does quality work and uses quality products. And the fact is that ALL contractors SAY they do quality work and use quality products. Of course we know that some don’t. So it really is important for time to be spent vetting the work credentials of any company before you hire them – in order to find out if they really can do the job properly. However, the vetting process shouldn’t stop there!
What Should You Look For?
I believe that two of the most important (and often overlooked) factors to consider when hiring a home improvement contractor are as follows:
Do you like them?
It is extremely important that you like the people that will be building your addition or doing any other kind of major home improvement! Depending upon the size of the project, you will be working closely with these people for anywhere from a couple of weeks to six months or more. It’s simply no fun dealing with people you don’t like!
If you like the salesperson or initial contact person(s) you’re off to a good start. However, find out who your “primary contact” will be during the project. If it’s someone you already met, great. If it’s not, ask to meet that person and have lunch with them or discuss your project with them, just to see if you “connect” with them. Understand that almost all remodeling projects come with some level of challenge and upheaval. Walking through that with someone you get along with helps to ease any potential stress. Going through that with someone you don’t particularly like only magnifies the problem! Remember, you’re going to be dealing with this person for as long as the project takes.
Who will be working in my house?
The second factor, “who will be working in my house,” is a bit more difficult to learn but also very important! When looking at references and testimonials, pay particular attention to any comments about the workers and if the clients appreciated them. The list of workers in your house could include masons, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, drywall and flooring installers just to name a few. Ask the contractor about the type of people that will be working on the project. Does he choose sub-contractors simply based on price or does he have a relationship with the company and their people? Does the contractor have any rules for the workers while on site such as, no smoking, daily clean up, no foul language, etc. Again, you will be dealing with these people for at least a couple of weeks so as much as you can make sure that the people coming to your house are people that you will enjoy having around.
A Contractors Proudest Moment
As my company was wrapping up a recent addition, the homeowner made a comment to me that couldn’t have made me prouder. She said, “Phil, you have a great team of guys! We’ve been so surprised by how much we’ve actually enjoyed getting to know many of them. They all cared so much about what they did and were very friendly.” In my opinion, that’s what makes a great choice in a contractor. Someone who will deliver the quality you desire, and make it a positive experience along the way.
